Glossary
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Market channels
Market channels: Ways by which products are made available for purchase to consumers. Market channels for organic food and drink are very diverse.
Market channels: Ways by which products are made available for purchase to consumers. Market channels for organic food and drink are very diverse.
Meadows
Meadows: Areas of grassland with diverse low level plants used for light grazing are protected by organic farmers, to promote biodiversity.
Meadows: Areas of grassland with diverse low level plants used for light grazing are protected by organic farmers, to promote biodiversity.
Mutilation
Mutilation: In agriculture, the removal or reduction of tails, horns, beaks and other body parts of animals is applied to prevent disease or injury in confined conditions. Organic farming restricts this practice and employs free range (see above) systems that make it unnecessary.
Mutilation: In agriculture, the removal or reduction of tails, horns, beaks and other body parts of animals is applied to prevent disease or injury in confined conditions. Organic farming restricts this practice and employs free range (see above) systems that make it unnecessary.
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Nutrition
Nutrition: Achieving a desirable level of livestock nutrition is one of the primary goals of organic farming. Access to roughage for all animals is essential in organic farming.
Nutrition: Achieving a desirable level of livestock nutrition is one of the primary goals of organic farming. Access to roughage for all animals is essential in organic farming.
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Pasture
Pasture: Vegetation such as grasses and legumes used as feed by grazing animals. Organic farming provides access to pasture for cattle.
Pasture: Vegetation such as grasses and legumes used as feed by grazing animals. Organic farming provides access to pasture for cattle.
Processing
Processing: The procedure of turning raw plant and animal ingredients into feed and food, more complex and desirable products for human consumption. The organic processing sector echoes organic farming’s restrictions on artificial inputs.
Processing: The procedure of turning raw plant and animal ingredients into feed and food, more complex and desirable products for human consumption. The organic processing sector echoes organic farming’s restrictions on artificial inputs.
Processing aids
Processing aids: Substances used for the processing of feed and food, which are afterwards not contained in the final products. Organic processing allows only a few processing aids.
Processing aids: Substances used for the processing of feed and food, which are afterwards not contained in the final products. Organic processing allows only a few processing aids.
Pesticides (chemical synthetic)
Pesticides (chemical synthetic): Chemicals used as herbicides, fungicides, insecticides and nematicides applied to agricultural field-crops and animals to fight pests, pathogens or diseases. Chemical synthetic pesticides are prohibited in organic farming.
Pesticides (chemical synthetic): Chemicals used as herbicides, fungicides, insecticides and nematicides applied to agricultural field-crops and animals to fight pests, pathogens or diseases. Chemical synthetic pesticides are prohibited in organic farming.
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Soil erosion
Soil erosion: The removal of soil by wind and water, which can be accelerated through tillage. Organic farming counteracts soil erosion by improving organic content and soil structure and by using green manure, hedges (see above) and native vegetation.
Soil erosion: The removal of soil by wind and water, which can be accelerated through tillage. Organic farming counteracts soil erosion by improving organic content and soil structure and by using green manure, hedges (see above) and native vegetation.
Stocking level
Stocking level: The number of livestock per hectare grazed on a particular agricultural field. Organic farmers prefer a low stocking level, to minimise stress, pest and disease pressure, soil compaction and erosion, and to improve farmland biodiversity.
Stocking level: The number of livestock per hectare grazed on a particular agricultural field. Organic farmers prefer a low stocking level, to minimise stress, pest and disease pressure, soil compaction and erosion, and to improve farmland biodiversity.
W
Wide crop rotation
Wide crop rotation: The regular shifting of different crops in agricultural fields over many years to discourage pest and disease build-up and add valuable nutrients. Legumes (see below), for example, provide nitrogen for use by subsequent crops.
Wide crop rotation: The regular shifting of different crops in agricultural fields over many years to discourage pest and disease build-up and add valuable nutrients. Legumes (see below), for example, provide nitrogen for use by subsequent crops.